Ex-teacher carries on caravanning

7th April 2006, 1:00am
You can take the teacher out of the caravan but you can’t take the caravan out of the teacher.

Jacqui Smith, former economics teacher, may now be the minister of state for schools but she sticks to the simple life. On telly, it’s TheX Factor and Life on Mars. For her Easter holiday, it’s a caravan park in north Wales with her husband and two school-age sons.

Just as well for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, who are sending a car to drive her to Gateshead to address their Easter conference next Wednesday. Think of the expense of fetching other members of the Government from their hill villages in Tuscany or retreats in Cape Cod.